Coronary heart disease (CHD), which is considered the most common and serious form of cardiovascular disease, is the first cause of death in developed industrialized countries. Hypertension and elevated blood cholesterol levels, particularly high low density-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), are two of the major modified risk factors for the development of CHD (Department of Health and Human Services, 2000).
The long-term regulation of blood pressure is associated with the rennin-angiotensin system. The conversion of angiotensin I into angiotensin II, a potent vasoconstrictor octapeptide, by the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) [EC 3.4.15.1] has long been known. Hence, the inhibition of this enzyme can reduce high arterial blood pressure through ACE-inhibitory (ACEI) compounds. However, several side effects have been associated with the ACE-inhibitory drugs. On the other hand, ACEI peptides derived from foods sources such as milk proteins are considered safer and without the side effects associated with the drugs.
Milk proteins have received increased attention as potential ingredients in health-promoting functional foods. It is accepted that proteins from milk may act as precursors of biologically active peptides with different physiological effects on the digestive, endocrine, cardiovascular, immune and nervous systems (Korhonen, 2009, J. Funct. Foods 1: 177-187). Indeed, it has been reported that an effective way to increase the amount of bioactive peptides in dairy products is by milk fermentation with highly proteolytic strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (López-Fandiño et al., 2006, Int. Dairy J. 16: 1277-1293). LAB growth in milk is dependent on the specific proteolytic systems for the generation of free peptides as a source of nitrogen (Hugenholtz, 2008, Int. Dairy J. 18, 466-475). Indeed, several ACEI peptides and/or with antihypertensive activity derived from milk proteins by the action of Lactobacillus helveticus and Saccharomyces cerevisae (Nakamura et al., 1995, J. Dairy Sci. 78:777-783; Nakamura et al., 1995, J. Dairy Sci. 78:1253-1257) or Lactobacillus helveticus (Sipola et al, 2002, J. Dairy Res. 69: 103-111; Seppo et al., 2003, Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 77:326-330) have been found. As a result, there are some commercial products, such as Calpis sour milk drink (Calpis Co., Japan) and Evolus (Valio, Finland). Calpis sour milk is claimed as suitable for those with mild hypertension and is fermented with Lactobacillus helveticus and Saccharomyces cervisiae and Evolus which is claimed as the first European functional food to help lower blood pressure, also fermented with Lactobacillus helveticus. Both fermented milk products contain bioactive peptides responsible for the ACE-inhibition and presented antihypertensive effects in hypertensive rats.
These biological effects of Lactobacillus helveticus strains have been described in the prior art. For instance, international patent application WO99/16862, Yamamoto et al., describes the strain Lactobacillus helveticus CM4, FERM BP-6060 which is capable of producing a large amount of the tripeptide Val-Pro-Pro and/or Ile-Pro-Pro. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,661, Nakamura et al., describes the preparation of a peptide containing the tripeptide sequence Val-Pro-Pro and its use for lowering hypertension, obtained from fermenting milk with the strain Lactobacillus helveticus JCM 1004.
Similarly, it has been shown that peptides released by Enterococcus faecalis strains from milk proteins were able to decrease arterial blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) (Muguerza et al., 2006, Int. Dairy J., 16:61-69; Quirós et al., 2007, Int. Dairy J., 17, 33-41). In fact, international patent application WO 2004/104182, relates to Enterococcus faecalis bacteria which can produce bioactive peptides, such as peptides with ACE inhibitory activity and/or antihypertensive activity. Even though LAB and the specific species Lactobacillus and Enterococccus, have been widely studied and recommended for use for the production of health-promoting peptides, there is still constant pursuit of finding new bacteria which are useful for the production of bioactive peptides from dairy proteins. To the best of our knowledge, the beneficial health effects of peptides in fermented milk with Lactococcus lactis strains have not been reported. L. lactis is one of the most important LAB, since it generally takes part of commercial starter cultures used in the manufacture of fermented dairy foods (Odamaki et al., 2011, Systematic Appl Microbiol 34, 429-434). Lactococcus lactis strains are able to improve the organoleptic characteristics of dairy products since they are responsible for the formation of aromatic compounds (Ayad 2009, Food Microbiol 26, 533-541). Previous studies in our laboratory showed that specific L. lactis strains isolated from native ecosystems were able to produce remarkable aroma profiles in fermented milk (Gutierrez-Méndez et al., 2008, J. Dairy Sci. 91, 49-579). Furthermore, it was reported that a wild L. lactis strain presented ACEI peptides in Mexican Fresco cheese (Torres-Llanez, et al., 2011, J. Dairy Sci., 94: 3794-3800). Also, specific wild L. lactis strains were explored for their ability to produce ACEI activity in fermented milk (Rodriguez-Figueroa et al., 2010, J. Dairy Sci., 93: 5032-5038; Otte et al., 2011, Int. Dairy J., 21: 229-238). However, fermented milk products produced by L. lactis strains were not tested in vivo to show any health benefits.
Therefore, there is still a great demand for finding new effective microbes which are useful both as starters in fermented dairy foods and for the production of bioactive peptides with unique health benefits.